We want to thank Carol Wiersma of the Mississippi Valley Partnership (http://www.mississippi-river.org/) for being our guest for Smallwander.com’s first seminar, “Creating Travel Partnerships.” The phone/web conference was held yesterday, January 28, at 10 a.m. Please stay tuned for upcoming seminars on small town tourism topics. We’ll also be posting the audio file from the conference as podcast. 

<The following article was written in the summer, and is reprinted here to archive it in our new blog.>

I just returned from a three-day weekend vacation with my wife, and I feel great. I needed a respite from the daily doings, and for me that called for equal parts relaxation and adventure. A mid-July Friday morning promised heat and humidity in the piedmont of NC as we motored happily eastward from the Triangle. Our elbows rested out the windows and caught the morning breeze as did the tips of rope that held our big red canoe atop our little car. We cruised on like this under a clouded sky towards the Pamlico Sound and two old towns.

As we neared Washington we pulled out the large, trusty NC Atlas and Gazetteer as well as a tidy collection of official tourism information we had ordered from the town. The town’s info poetically and enticingly directed us to the waterfront loop where the local docks held bobbing sailboats and other sea craft at the ready for the weekend. With the car windows still down, we took in the sights at a very slow pace. Driving an initial loop around town gave us a sense of place. I checked the large map to make sure we had encircled the town and then settled on a free parking space on East Main Street, curbside to a welcoming set of steps lined with perfectly potted flowers leading up to one of the many charming front-porch houses. The sidewalk safely took us two blocks into the heart of town, passing one of a series of large, colorful Crab Sculptures alike in dimension and size to others on the streets but each rendered uniquely by different artists and businesses. I’ve loved this public art concept seen across America in large cities like Dallas and Baltimore, as well as in some lucky small towns of North Carolina. My wife posed gleefully with one of the more outlandish creations.

Historical markers on the homes and on the street posts told the history of the town named for General George Washington. Three-story red-brick buildings, several studded with the old cast iron star plates, stood opposite each other on the broad mainstreet, and housed a variety of businesses, including antique shops, a serious book and toy store, a sportsman’s outfitter, a handful of little art boutiques, a good selection of eateries and even a furniture store whose wooden rocking chairs lined the front walk and served as a gathering place for locals and visitors alike.

Posted flyers on windows and on street corners proudly notified us of town activities including a Friday Music Series and a Saturday Street Market. A smiling public works employee told us they were preparing to close the street to vehicle traffic for the evening as pedestrians would soon be converging on the town for an evening of music and entertainment.

We had a late lunch at the casual “Down on Mainstreet”. The high-ceiling, multi-sectioned café and bar served us a tasty appetizer of tender, battered “grouper fingers.” We read about local sights including the NC Estuarium, (an educational center focusing on the rich ecology of the local estuary) and the historic Turnage Theatre Performance Center as well as the beautiful Coastline Train Depot now housing the Beaufort County Arts Council.

As we walked back to the car we talked of the livability of this downtown, and how sustainable it appeared. The impressive renovations and ongoing preservation of the town’s history was very encouraging. It is certainly a good day trip and more if a performance is in town. Don’t pass this one up on your travels along the Inner Banks of NC.

Now, when you go to Washington, plan to head a dozen miles eastward to Bath, the first incorporated town in NC. We chose to stay at The Inn on Bath Creek after reading online about the quiet little historic village. While Washington offered entertainment, shopping, and dining, Bath’s charm rested primarily on its unhurried and unpretentious yet unmistakable historic presence. Crossing the bridge over Bath Creek forces you to slow down and view the lush cypress tree-lined creek that widens gradually to meet the Pamlico River. It was here in 1705 where, Surveyor General, John Lawson recognized the beauty and bounty afforded by the small peninsula of upland overlooking the creeks and rivers.

Once we slowed down on that bridge, we had no inclination to speed up again for the rest of the weekend. The large Willow Oaks,shading the straight and wide South Main Street, cast shadows down to the water’s edge. Among the trees sits the old town core composed of church, home, and empty store front.

While walking, you hear the sea gull cries mingling with the clink of shipmast riggings. A dog happily barks at children playing on the lush green creek-bank of a nearby backyard. As in Washington, we again drove the perimeter of town to sense the size. We rounded the peninsula point where loblolly pines shaded a picnic park with a broad view of the creek. The evening was cooling nicely. We checked into our B & B and promptly set out on foot to explore our weekend retreat. Our yard had two guest bicycles racked and ready for a morning pedal. Kayaks hung from the car port. An elderly couple walked casually down the street and waved at us and resumed their exercise. There were no sidewalks, but rather a wide, level thoroughfare which seemed to self-govern the speed of all who traveled. There was a certain joy of freedom in not worrying about which side of the street to walk on as we crisscrossed at will and whim. Being one who often treads a crooked line, while spying distant birds through the trees, I felt safe and unrestrained in Bath.

We found two restaurants in town, both locally owned. One, within walking distance of the heart of the historic district, sold creative pizzas and Italian ice (and ice cream!) while the other, about a half mile up the road, served country comfort food and deliciously battered seafood.

The following morning, we found the visitor’s center which sits underneath the maritime live oak trees, behind the historic Palmer-Marsh House, and showcases the town’s history with artifacts, maps, a nice 15- minute video, and a staff-guided walking tour. Within 2 hours, by foot and bicycle, we did it all including the self guided tour of the state’s oldest existing church. Back at the Inn, the front porch Adirondacks were waiting. And soon we were each reclined with something to read. I checked out some maritime maps to plan our canoe trip for the next day.

Nearby, the Goose Creek State Park offers camping and general recreation. On our final day and in our big red canoe, we spent three sunny hours exploring the quiet reaches of Goose Creek, another little gem along the inner banks. With our weekend now complete and filled with adventure and relaxation, we headed west for home. We will return to that historic quarter of North Carolina and check in on those two old coastal towns from time to time. –Jayson Delisle of Smallwander.com.

I knew of Appomattox only from the history books. And I’d forgotten most of that history. My wife and I chose to learn a little more with a planned side-trip in Virginia on our way north from North Carolina to Pennsylvania. We allocated 3 hours for the side-trip.

So, while cruising through the colorful Virginia countryside on a cool, fall morning, we left the highway and approached the historic town(s). First we passed a large historical marker notifying us of the upcoming courthouse, and then we passed the courthouse square on the “edge” of town. This is where things get interesting, or confusing, depending on your angle. I’ll challenge the reader to follow the lineage of the local town names and courthouses…it is not as simple as a solitary “Appomattox Courthouse.” But therein lies the motivation for exploration, surely enough to fill a 3 hour side-trip.

Simply put, we started in the Town of Appomattox (where you can get a bite to eat and do other town things), then we drove a couple miles to the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park (where Lee surrendered to Grant, and where you can now walk the same grounds they walked). Here are some of the details, starting with the town.

The Town of Appomattox has a Main Street, bordering the railroad tracks, complete with a sturdy depot housing the visitor center. Parking was on either side of the two-block, one-way street. We walked along the store-front sidewalk opposite the depot as we waited for places to open up at 9 am on this Saturday. The door to Baines Books and Coffee was open. I don’t do coffee, but I liked the ambience of this large, yet cozy meeting place/market space. On request, the owner advised us of a couple local breakfast spots. We chose “The Corner Grill” and walked the block and-a-half around the corner. In the company of local families and a few camouflaged hunters, we enjoyed affordable food, and friendly service. Back at the Train Depot we toured the visitor center and watched a short presentation on the town’s history and significance. Antique shops, a shaded park, tea room, and county museum represent other touring options. The locals also have access to a large library, perfect for reading about all the local history. We chose to see the history in person.

Down the road and over a century back in time, we spent another 2 hours walking the grounds and buildings of the National Historical Park. This was the village where Lee and Grant talked surrender in the parlor of the McLean Home. There is a small fee, and if you like history and pastoral views, it is well worth it. Hopefully you will get as nice a day as we enjoyed. Our camera captured a well-stocked general store, a fortified jailhouse, the split-rail-fence-lined stage coach road, and the vibrant fall backdrop to it all. If you are passing through, see these places for yourself! – Jayson Delisle of Smallwander.com.